Memorable things about Far East Holiday

In keeping with "random thoughts" - what will be my outstanding memories of Hong Kong/Singapore?

Condensation in Hong Kong - but on the outside of the windows, not the inside where I'd expect it - most strikingly on the windows of the air-conditioned public buses...

The inequality in living conditions - the difference between the gleaming tower blocks in the centre of Hong Kong and the "social housing" not to far away, and the rural villages was striking - whole families living in a space 3 metres by 4 - with a mezzanine to provide a sleeping area. Even where that had progress, it was in the form of building 3 or 4 stories on the same 12m2 plot! And then there where was the ex-British army accommodation - siting empty - slowly rotting away because of the high humidity.

The density of the population in Hong Kong - every where you look round Victoria Harbour there are tower blocks - and not just single blocks - in some places, blocks of tens of identical 20+ floor tower blocks. Getting 7 million living in such a small area demands this density - and the people appear to like living so close - there is space in the Special Administrative Region.

By contrast Singapore was slightly less dense in terms of building - at least until they finish building! The quality of the public housing was also a significant step up - the gap between the haves and the have nots seamed less.

The amount of "countryside" in Hong Kong - outside the immediate surrounds of the tower blocks around Victoria Harbour, the land quickly becomes very lush with greenery.

Singapore was if anything even greener - every public space had some plants - covering road bridges with flowering shrubs certainly softens them. It lives up to the title "garden city".

In both Hong Kong and Singapore it was great to use the familiar three pin plug - shame neither culture adopted British queuing or organisation on the underground. The wonderful underground system in Singapore was missing the standing on the right and walking on the left on escalators and keeping left when walking - being faced by a wall of people in the interlinking tunnels touch the edge off the great organisation.

Singapore made a great impression, wonderful climate, clean, safe. I'll certainly be back for more Grand Prix if I can muster the funds, and it would be a great place to be an ex-pat! I'm not sure I could cope with the humidity and population density in Hong Kong.

Food in Hong Kong

The best meal I had during my visit to Hong Kong, turned out to be a vegetarian Buddhist lunch during a coach tour. It was simple yet every item was tasty - the best of the selection was a bread like morsel. No meat or animal products where permitted, and even root vegetable excluded.

I experienced two full "Chinese" meals - one as part of a coach tour, the second in the "Internationally acclaimed" Yan Toh Heen. The first could have been in a typical Chinese restaurant in the UK - comforting that the Chinese "down the road" is authentic. The restaurant was full of locals - eating similar dishes, so I've no reason to suspect the style was overly influenced by "European" Chinese...

The meal in Yan Toh Heen was intriguing. I chose the chef's "best selection" set menu - 7 courses. Many interesting dishes - and I can now add Shark's Fin and Bird's nest to the list of delicacies I've eaten along side Dolphin in Iceland... The Shark's Fine soup was very tasty - but I have to admit I couldn't discern which taste in the Bird's nest course was the nest!

The last meal I'm going to include wasn't actually in Hong Kong, but at 35,000 feet between Hong Kong and Singapore. The Lobster Thermador I'd order seam to cause a stir amongst the cabin crew - given it was only a 3 hour flight I'd guess few people bother selecting from Singapore Air's extensive menu .... the lobster was very nice!

Hong Kong almost over

Well, my time in Hong Kong is almost up - I've checked in to my flight to Singapore, repacked and booked a car to get me to the airport on time...

The Marriott Singapore has a lot to live up to - since I started the island bagging in earnest, the hotels I've stayed have all been great. Big Island and Oʻahu found me staying at the Sheraton Waikiki, who upgraded me to a suite, and provided wonderfully relaxed and lone traveller friendly experience. Inter Continental Hong Kong repeated the upgrade trick - replaced the beach view with an equally stunning, but different view, of the Hong Kong skyline, as I bagged Lantau and Hong Kong Islands - along with the continent of Asia in the form of Kowloon and the New Territories. Typhoon Hagupit put pay to me bagging some of the other out lying islands - a good reason for a return trip some time in the future.

Next stop Singapore....

New Territories - The Land Between

A day pre-Typhoon Hagupit spent seeing the long history of Hong Kong, in an air conditioned coach. I don't think I've ever been so grateful for air conditioning before! Hong Kong is a land of great contrasts - the extravagance of Hong Kong Island itself, the unexpected lush green areas, modern record holding high density accommodation and the traditional villages. Splendid temples to contrast with the homes of most of the population. Those living in tiny homes - multiple stories built on the original foot print, express their wealth by owning four wheels - with all the taxes associated with them. The ample public transport makes them a luxury. An very interesting day spend exploring the side of Hong Kong outside the air-conditioned offices and shopping complexes that dominate Kowloon and Hong Kong Island - and all within a few miles, and a small distance from real China.

Hong Kong Bound

What a strange experience - flying backwards. I've always had a preference for travelling in a rear facing seats on trains. The fact that the club class window seats on a BA 747-400 face backwards, gave me a chance to try flying backwards! It was a very different experience - taking off you are pulled out of your seat, and landing pushed in to it... While the shutters are down, to allow people to sleep, it was hard to notice any motion at all - as it should be with no acceleration. But watching the impressive storm clouds pass under the plane, it was strange to be going backwards. Shows how much the eyes and brain are fooling you - the difference between not being able to sense motion with no external view and the impression watching the outside world was noticeable.

Arriving safely in Hong Kong, there was a second strange experience - landing on an airstrip built in the middle of the sea. Until very shortly before actually landing, there is nothing to land on! We skimmed over some of the many boats, small and large, trading round Hong Kong.

Then for the second holiday in a row the nice words "sir we've upgrade you to a suite" - in Hong Kong space is at such a premium that actually means to a room with enough room for a seating area, a desk, (and a bed) with a large dressing/bathroom - not three rooms in the less compact Hawaii! It does come with views to rival Waikiki as urban beauty rather than natural

Far East Holiday Autumn 2008

Unlike last year, when I waited until the last minute - OK three weeks before - to book the hotel in the vain hope that there would be a "special" that would get me a great room (and view) at a discount rate, then ended up having less choice and paying exactly the same as if I'd booked at the same time as I booked the flights 9 months before, I've now completed booking hotels for my trip to Hong Kong and the F1 GP in Singapore... Lets see if I luck out again and get a nice upgrade to a suite - as long as the view of Hong Kong harbour is as good as the reviews and pictures I don't really mind.... The hotel in Singapore on the other hand was one of the first things booked - immediately after the tickets to the Grand Prix - the "special rate" for that weekend is enough to make you think twice, luckily for the rest of the week in Singapore rates return to very reasonable levels for a 4 star hotel in a popular Far East destination. Now to start booking the day trips - already got tickets for the Singapore Flyer - the London Eye, but bigger and better. So the count down begins.... 112 days until a late night departure from Terminal 5 - lets hope they've sorted out the baggage handling by then....